Timing of Change

Hello everybody,e ku asiko yi o!

What happens when you try to make a change at the wrong time? When is the right time to make changes? There are better times for changes than others. This is a checklist of some questions that could help navigate the best possible times in the process.

a.Is this change compatible with the purpose?

b.Is it possible to test this change before making a total commitment?

c.Is this change reversible?

d.Does this change have both short-time and long-term benefits?

e.Is this change the next obvious step?

f.Does everything else indicate the timing is right?

If the questions on the list have too many no by them, then the timing may not be right. Change makes us feel awkward sometimes, it is not wrong, it is just different and it takes us out of our comfort zone. Humans by nature love to seek and pursue happiness and pleasure. This is why we come together to learn and share. You need to learn to change and adjust your life at the right time to make yourself happy. Congratulations if you were born in July, we rejoice with you. We wish you happiness in all things that matter to you. Have a wonderful month everybody!

Eric Thompson

YAJ President.

How can I change?

Hello eku deede iwoyio!

Major change can seem daunting, but it is entirely possible if you are willing to set and stick with clear goals. Changing what you do can ultimately lead to a change in how you perceive yourself overall. Good news for you is that I personally struggle with most of the things I share with you, but it gives meaning and enables me to love, to serve and to try again. Two major suggestions for a change are to follow your conscience and change your role. Ask yourself; what is the most important thing I need to start doing that will bring a positive impact? That may be in your personal life or in your society. Also, if you want to make a significant change, work on your mindset i.e. the way you see the world and the best way to change your mindset is to change your role. When you change your role in your community or association, you will begin to see the world differently. When you listen to your conscience, you will recognize that important thing-the voice of wisdom that will cause your changes and help you make a positive impact.

We rejoice with you if you were born in June. Happy Birthday to you! We wish you good health and prosperity always.

Happy joyous June everybody!

Eric Thompson

President, YAJ.

Courage & Change

Hello and Eku deede iwoyi o.

Courage is one of my core values.

I am not talking about the type of extreme heroism we see in movies, such as the soldier who throws himself on the grenade to protect his comrades. You see, everyday courage does not require sacrifice. I firmly believe that the most courageous thing you can do is to be yourself or what you want to be. To stand true to who you are in the face of adversity. Everyday examples of courage include: Voicing your disagreement or disapproval, especially when it is unpopular to do so. To keep pursuing your goals, even when you have not been getting the results you desire. Giving your best when you are faced with bad health Ending a relationship which, you know isn’t right for you, Expressing your feelings, Getting out of bed when you are really struggling. These are just some of the endless examples of everyday courage. You take these actions, not because you want to but because deep inside you know it is the right thing to do. Because when courage is one of your core values, you hold yourself accountable for each decision you make and action you take to bring about change in your community, etc. It is not only the outcome which is important to you, but it is also the fact that you do what is right by you. You ensure that you do what is right, even when it is the most difficult/inconvenient option. Nobody said that being courageous was easy but when you live true to your core values, peace, joy, happiness, and confidence come naturally. We rejoice with you if you were born in May. We wish you a Meaningful May! May you all have a peaceful May, everyone!

Olusegun Thompson

President, YAJ.

What are you not willing to change?

Hello and Eku deede iwoyi o.

People resist change sometimes because of tradition too. The assumption is that if something is tradition it must be the best way. To some extent, it may be true, but it is not necessarily so. If a tradition connects you to other people or to your personal history, it may be a good thing. If not, then it may be time to try something else. I have to admit that I am a personal growth fanatic. There are few things I enjoy more than learning something new. But as much as I am dedicated to progress, there are some things that I am not willing to change such as my faith or my commitment to integrity, family, and generosity and believing in people. Some things are not worth compromising at any price. I want to encourage you to think about the non-negotiables in your life. Once you do that everything else should be open to change. We rejoice with you if you were born in April. Some call it April fool, for you and everyone it shall be April Full. Full of goodness and favor all the way through. Have a wonderful April! 

Olusegun Thompson 

President, YAJ

Change Starts From Within

Hello and eku deede iwoyi o!

I love the Peanuts comic strip in which Lucy told Charlie Brown “ I would like to change the world” Charlie asks her “where would you start?” Lucy replied “I would start with you” Our attitude is a lot more like Lucy`s. We desire change for everyone other than ourselves. The truth is that any change that occurs in the world always begins with change within an individual. The good news is, once you dedicate yourself to growth and lifestyle of planned improvement from inside out, it becomes normal to you. You will notice when you are not making the progress that you expect. Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything as stated by a famous playwright. Again, change must happen within you before it can happen around you! With this mindset, your life, your association, and even your country will grow, develop and improve. We celebrate with those who were born in March, you and everyone are definitely Marching forward! Have a wonderful March everybody!

Olusegun Thompson,

YAJ President.

Change

Hello and eku deede iwoyi o!

I will like to talk about the change I mentioned briefly in the last post. As we are experiencing changes everywhere and in every area of life. Change is hard for everyone. A novelist once said that “the only person who likes change is a wet baby” Truly truly, change is one of the greatest attitude obstacles you`ll ever face. Whereas there is no progress without change. There could neither be a growth nor achievement without change. Now, this is practical, if you have a young growing girl and you live together closely, you will understand what I mean that that beautiful grown up you see or dated came with some pain. Yet we resist change. One of the reasons people resist change is because of personal loss. Or simply put selfishness. Take for an example, what runs through your mind when a coworker told you there is about to be a massive lay off. You will never think about how it will affect the economy. That is just human nature. It happens in politics, associations, and homes. Optimistic people will however more quickly see the good in most imminent changes. The truth is that there is a loss even in a positive change. Every beginning ends something. The interesting thing is that though people resisted at first, with a positive outcome they forget their first resistance. Your body will want to resist your workout initially but with your persistence and resilience, the outcome will be great. It is, however, our responsibility to work together for change when we need to support the change rather than watching without acting.

We celebrate with you if you were born in February. Wishing you and everyone a fabulous month!

Olusegun,

President,

YAJ.

New Year 2019.

Happy New Year everybody! Eku odun eku iyedun,odun ayo ni yio je fun gbogbo wa o. It amazes me how much “prep time” goes into New Year’s Eve that makes the week after the New Year a “slow one” at best. There are a few things to ponder, list, write about, and maybe even take action on as you head into the unknown of the New Year.

It’s unknown what will happen in THE world, but YOUR world is a lot more “knowable, definable, actionable and controllable.” And rather than me telling you what to do, let me share with you what I intend to do and you can make your own plan from there. I am going to continue to expand on these two words “achievement and improvement”. That is, achieving new goals and improving on the previous achievements (called Kaizen in Japanese). My suggestion for you of things to do in the New Year is to do something to keep you busy, productive, and inspired to achieve more this year than you did last year. It’s not just a goal and it’s not just a resolution; it’s your intention, your drive, your work ethic, and your consistency in everything you do that will create genuine achievement and possibly change in the various area of your life. Congratulations if you were born in January. Wishing you and everybody a joyful January!

Olusegun,

YAJ President.